Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Eating and Drinking => Cooking, Storing and Preserving => Topic started by: BigPaddy on April 01, 2009, 21:39
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So much talk here about the benefits of a slow cooker that I decided I need one.
Sorry if this has come up before, but I searched and searched and couldn't find the answer.
I read some comments that the 6,5l Morphy Richards is too hot, some responses say that slow cooking isn't automatic cooking and then other people say my slow cooker has an automatic setting so I put stuff in and forget. I see cookers with timers, cookers without, some people say the cooker only has a 4 hour timer and others say forget the timer get a cheap timer for the plug. I'm lost.
I'm currently thinking the Morphy Richards - do I need 6.5 - well yes for a chicken, but storage when not in use will be a pain. The 4.5l looks interesting too and T**** do a 12 quid version. Then there is the Rosemary Conlon version (who is she?) with an auto function.
Help.
BIG-Paddy
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I have a basic one that's about 4 litres, I think. It has three settings: hot is the one I use to start off a dish, then once it's simmering I turn it down to slow-cook; the warming setting isn't quite enough to keep a full pan at the simmer. A larger pan would be handy, but this is OK.
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I've got the basic Tesco 1. Put stuff in on low, go out for the day, come home and casserole/stew is ready..........grab bread.......dinner is served. :lol:
Does high if you want it to boil, low for all day cooking and the keep warm for seconds function :D
Does the job for me at a very affordable price!! (mine was on offer when i bought it :D)
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I've got the T*sco 4.5l one too and its fine. Will take a medium chuck at a push and does a great ham hock on slow. My oven casseroles must think they are retired! Timer on the plug as a backstop in case I forget a stock or am unexpectedly very late home.
The one thing I would change if I had the choice - I wish I could microwave the removable dish. Then leftovers could stay in it and just get a quick blast to warm them up, saving the washing up. But its a niggle and I wouldn't pay much for it.
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They're going for a tenner at the moment. I would leave it on low if on all day. Lovely spag bol. And chicken dansak. (Not in the same pot)
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My bit of advice would be to make sure you actually go and look at any you're considering buying before you decide - get them out of the box, pick them up, etc. Mine (which was bought for me) is huge and very heavy, and it makes it difficult to store, awkward to use, and a pain to get in and out of the cupboard.
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I've a cookwoorks with 3 settings (auto, slow and high) it was on offer when I bought it. It's not that big but there are only 2 of us and does the job. I use it almost non stop in the winter and as a rather funky bread bin in summer ;)
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Thanks for the replies. It looks like this is not going to cost much then :)
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I think the auto setting is great (mine's an ancient cooker that my mum decided could take up room with me rather than with her!).
No need to pre-heat, it starts the casserole off hot for the first hour or so, then automatically transfers to low at a certain point.
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Best thing is you can still do summer type dishes in it, it's not just winter stews.
Bung chicken breasts or pork chops/loins late morning, 11.00ish just as The Archers omnibus is finishing ;) with a selection of summer harvest, peppers, toms, mushrooms, chillies, and dish up with a pan of cous cous (cooks in 4 minutes). Garnish with torn basil and/or parsley.
Maximum output from minimum input....but don't let on how simple it is 8)
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I too have a tesco one - its brill, often put a whole chicken in around 11 am (sunday) turn it to low around 4, lovely succulent chicken, falls off the bone so great for leftovers too.
Was a bargain at around 12 quid - does the job, makes the house smell fab, and for when i go up the allotment its been perfick
Good luck with whichever one you choose.
And sausage casserole - omg so tasty
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Would someone clarify what's so great about slow cookers? If I but a claybrick (by which I mean a large heavy clay pot with close-fitting lid) or a cassarole dish into a cool oven do I not achieve the same effect? And I don't have to have another gadget cluttering up the kitchen. Or am I missing something?
Illumine me dear friends!
SS
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They cost less than a lightbulb to run so will be more economical than using a cool oven, that's one of the main bonuses - though they do take up some more room i admit.